As the 2001-2002 network television season makes its way into history, here are some thoughts, notes and quotes about the wonderful world of TV as we know it, love it and hate it:
• Given the tone of the e-mails I've been getting, I wasn't the only one who didn't know whether to go "wow!'' or "what!?'' during the finale of "24.'' After some reflection, I opt for "wow!'' After 23 hours of innovative, high-octane television, the Fox series still had enough left in its tank for a couple of nasty plot twists and some stunning scenes. The final moments -- with Jack Bauer clutching his lifeless wife -- were a real jolt. (By the way, Teri Bauer had better be dead, or the show's credibility goes out the window.) Of course, the show left a few unanswered questions: Who killed Teri Bauer (probably Nina, but it was unclear)? Can David Palmer dump his wife and still win the presidency? And who was Nina working for, if not the Drazens? Let's let Jack get some sleep and hope next season is as good as this one.
• Final words No. 1: "How many people lost their lives today because you were doing a job?'' Jack Bauer to bad girl Nina at the end of "24.'' (Answer: Oh, about 300 or so, by one rough body count. Didn't you wonder where the LAPD was while all this carnage was taking place?)
• And one last "24'' thought: If Teri Bauer is really, really dead, can someone please find a spot in another good series for actress Leslie Hope, who played Teri? Working with a character whose trials and tribulations often strained the boundaries of plausibility, Hope managed to make Teri a complex, intriguing human being.
• Best finale: As good as the "24'' closer was, I go with ABC's "Alias.'' It was neatly executed, had a kick of an ending and played by the rules of the universe it created over the course of a good first season. I still don't get what's going on with this Rambaldi guy, but that's OK.
• Worst finale: "ER,'' which was ragged, strained and desperately needed an emotional focus. It didn't bode well for next season when Mark Greene won't be around at all and reinforced the notion that, after eight years, the creative juices simply aren't there anymore.
• Speaking of shows that need a creative jolt, and need it quickly, let's add "Frasier,'' which lost its light touch and sophistication a while back; "Dawson's Creek,'' a series going absolutely nowhere; and most of all, "The Practice.'' The latter's closing show -- in which Lindsay was convicted of murder -- was just pathetic, an absolute parody of what the show once was.
• On the other hand: After a dark, ennui-filled, navel-gazing season, the final episode of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' held out some promise that things will be better next season. The series was never less than interesting and some episodes ("Buffy,'' the musical) were home runs, but the past season was far from the show's best.
• Final words No. 2: "You're the soul of this place. In some way, you've become the soul of all of us.'' -- John Cage (Peter MacNicol) to Ally McBeal (Calista Flockhart) during the last moments of "Ally McBeal.'' (And you were wondering why this once-influential show was canceled.)
• Can we declare a moratorium on reunions of, and tributes to, older TV shows? The occasional wallow is fine, but it seemed as if there was one every day for the past month. When ABC reached the bottom of the barrel with a tribute to "That's Incredible,'' the whole genre officially went into the toilet.
• Best drama by the end of the season: HBO's "Six Feet Under.'' Is it weird? Yes. Is it pretentious? Sometimes. But no series this season did a better job of combining comedy, drama and true insight into the human soul. With "Buffy'' and "The West Wing'' having off years and "The Sopranos'' taking a season off, its only real competition was FX's "The Shield.''
• Best comedy by the end of the season: "Sex and the City.'' Its last six episodes -- as much drama as comedy -- were absolute gems. The comedy king of the past two years -- "Malcolm In the Middle'' -- lost its feel for the heart of its dysfunctional family and became awfully shrill. (Note to "Malcolm'' creator Linwood Boomer: Write more episodes next season. Your series needs you.)
• Best program at the end of the year: It's hard to say exactly what MTV's "The Osbournes'' was exactly -- comedy? reality TV? -- but whatever it was, it can't come back soon enough. Underneath all that bleeped language and the Osbourne clan's weird lifestyle was a show that dealt better with family values than almost anything on network TV.
• Best comeback, comedy division: "Friends.'' Rarely has a series gotten such a jolt of energy so late in a long run. If Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc don't at least get nominated for Emmys, there's no justice in TV land.
• Best comeback, drama division: "NYPD Blue.'' The new blood -- particularly Charlotte Ross as Connie McDowell -- and some tasty writing revived a series that was on life support.
• Nastiest sweeps moment: You could argue for Cher and those dancing fairies on the way-over-the-top "Will & Grace'' finale. But it's hard to beat the rat coming out of a dead woman's mouth on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.'' Even by "CSI's'' grisly standards, it was pretty gross.
• Most inspired casting in a finale: Bringing back Janice (Maggie Wheeler) -- she of the irritating laugh -- for the birth episode of "Friends.'' It was the best of some very nice touches.
• Memo to ABC: If you guys are serious about grabbing the family hour audience, why not give a shot to "State of Grace,'' the sweet little comedy on your ABC Family channel? It's smarter and funnier than any of the sitcoms you've got on the air now. And you never know, it might find an audience.
• Final words No. 3: "Maybe there's hope.'' -- Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) to Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) on "The X-Files.'' (Funny, that's how I feel about TV much of the time.)
© The Mercury News 2002
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